My heart did a Leap Today.

When I hear of someone who has come a little closer to God, my heart leaps and sometimes...usually I shed a few tears.
Today that happened.

Does God Need to be Defended?

How often do we try to defend God and His workings around us?
We try to put Him in a box, within our understanding and make Him make sense to us.

Is He suppose to make sense to us? Are we, in our limited understanding of this awesome God suppose to understand everything or anything that He does?
How do we finite beings wrap our brains around an infinite God?
We who can't see anything past the present try way too hard to make sense of things that only the God of the universe; who sees past, present and future all at once, knows.

Now, what do I do with this?
Does it make me want to pray? Since God is going to do what He is going to do anyway.
Does it make me fearful? Like some unknown force is at work and I am just a pawn in it's play.
or
Do I find comfort in the fact that I don't have to have all the answers? I know that God knows, and that's enough.
Can I rest in the knowing that God wants what is best for me? This does not mean what I think is the best for me.
Do I know that God desires a relationship with me, and in that relationship comes conversation and listening, on both parts?
Do I trust this being I call God Almighty?
Do I serve Him as a slave, with the have too hanging over my head? Or do I serve Him as a servant, who has chosen to do as He asks?

Write a little every day.

If you're going to blog, then BLOG!

Nothing special has been going on...which I guess is a good thing. We have had some things that have required a time of prayer for peace to just rest in the moment rather than stressing about the what ifs. It's amazing to see how much time we (I) waste stressing about the ifs.

There's a question for out there...does stressing matter? I know what the scriptures say about stressing and how it doesn't add a single hour to our lives...but. What are we saying about our God when we stress? What are we saying about our trust in Him? What does this all say about our faith in who He really is?

Everything we do, reflects Him...am I a clear picture or are there too many ripples in the way?

Worshipping with my Son

My oldest son leads a worship team at my church. Last night we ran through the songs that he picked for this Sunday. There is something so amazing about singing praise to God with your child or children.

I was leading a team for a bit, and will still fill in from time to time, but my absolute joy is singing back-up for my son. He has a heart for music and a strong love for God that comes through when he leads. It is my privilege to sing with him.

My only sadness comes when I think about him going away to school. Can we sing together on Skype?

A few good books

QUESTION: When I see how long it's been since my last post it makes me wonder why am I blogging at all??? I don't share this space with anyone, so really why bother?

ANSWER: A few months ago, the name of this blog came to me and I knew I had to write about the things that God is doing in me. That's it....my experience. So I'll keep going and maybe share with a few of my friends where I am writing.

A book that I read this summer....

This book was given to all the elders of my church to read over the summer. My husband is an elder. He was having a hard time getting into it, so I asked if I could read it first. It was a very eye opening book. The concepts were something that our church has been exploring and doing for a bit, but some of the ideas that came up were great. This book made me want to dream. It made me go to God and ask, what can I be doing to help Terrace, not spread your word, but just be in the community. Which would spread His word....

The challenge is to make a difference in peoples lives...not for an agenda, but because you love them because God loves them. Another thing that I loved was that it talked about the things that you do not being just for "church" people. There are people who want to do good and need a project that they believe in, the church offers that project and anyone who likes what is being done can come along side. I really like this. What a way to meet new people and work along side them.

Now, what do I do with this info? How has it changed what I do and am doing? I don't know. But I am on the look out. Where do I fit and what is it that God wants me to do?

Another book that I just started and runs along these same lines is...

I'm only on the third chapter but wow! So far it's all about where you go. Stepping into those places that may be or definitely are uncomfortable. Being with people who are different than you and may even think differently about things than you. Throughout the book are Road Markers...Thoughts about the section you are in, one of them on page 5 says " Jesus crossed the road to let His actions speak louder than his words."

There is so much more to this book, hopefully I'll be able to put it to words when I am finished.

Well, that's all. I feel like God has me on a learning curve, but for what I have no idea. But I'll listen and follow what I hear.

What's so amazing about Grace?

This is the book I have picked up...

I'm not sure if I have read it before but it certainly is speaking to me now.

I have someone in my life that has been treating me poorly for a wrong that she perceives happening. But from that has come a lot of talk to other people but never to me. I thought we had dealt with it and that our relationship was just never to be the same, but apparently we haven't. Once again the "hurt" from 4-5 years ago has surfaced again. So I have been struggling with my role in this. I don't feel like I should have to say sorry, I don't feel like I've done anything wrong and yet...

Reading this book has given me a new perspective... Jesus did nothing wrong and yet he went to the cross and died for all MY wrongs, not fair but GRACE!

So, my feelings of this isn't fair, although perfectly natural are not Christ like. He wants me to forgive and be more like Him.

I am wanting to be more like Him and the only way that I can is when I obey when my heart is stirred towards that end...this would be towards that end.

So I will obey and swallow my pride which is what separates me most from God. I will obey and allow God to do the hard part of making things right in the end.

My desire.

This summer my husband and I and another couple are reading through....

This is the second time for me. The last time was in 2006 and our whole church was reading it.

Now as a side note, you need to know that I have a very stubborn streak that rises it's ugly head whenever I hear about the newest "have to read" book. I just don't think that one book apart from the Bible can do it. So whenever people start jumping on this reading wagon, I walk... the opposite way. Ask me about The Shack.

Anyway, this other couple, which I love dearly wanted to read through this again, so OK, the hype is gone...I'll read it.

I have been enjoying it. There are still parts that make me cringe, but that's OK. The parts that are making me think are worth it. Which is where the topic for this post comes from.

Worship...what is it and why do it?

"Worship is a lifestyle of enjoying God, loving Him and giving ourselves to be used for His purposes". Pg 56

"We bring God glory by worshipping Him. We worship God by enjoying Him". Pg 55

I love that, enjoying Him. When I spend time with God and all the distractions from "life" have successfully been set aside, I enjoy Him. When I repeat His name and His goodness over, and over until I see His face, I enjoy Him. I enjoy being in His presence and I look forward to hearing Him speak to my heart.

Is this all the time? I wish! Sometimes the cares and frustrations from life just can't be set aside, then my time with him is all about that.

I want my life to bring God glory. I want people to look at me and say, "Look what God has done in her life". I want the fullness of God, so that it just pours out of me and onto those around me. I want to listen closer, so that whenever God speaks I hear what He has to say.

My desire is to know God, and enjoy Him fully.